48 
of a solid or fluid substance into a permanently gaseous state, 
was enormous. The quantity of the electric or galvanic 
fluid which went into a given quantity of vapour, to convert 
it into a separate aeriform element being immense, it was 
not unreasonable to suppose that the nature or quality of 
iron might have connection with the electrical state of the 
atmosphere, at the time of its being obtained from the ore. 
The electric conditions, in the case referred to by Mr. Leah, 
underwent a two-fold change. There was the electricity of 
decomposition, and the electricity of recomposition. For 
the aqueous vapour which might be supposed to operate un- 
favourably on the quality of the iron, because of its electric 
relations, might not only be decomposed and so converted 
into its elements of oxygen and hydrogen, but again in part, 
as to one of its elements, be received into a new combination, 
or into another form ; and therefore, they must first ascertain 
the quantity evolved in the one change of state, and then 
the quantity absorbed in the other change of state, before 
they could determine whether there was any actual electrical 
change or not — or what the final electrical result might be? 
The question was one of considerable importance, especially 
in a neighbourhood like this, and he hoped that the investi- 
gation of it would not be lost sight of by this society. 
The Rev. Gentleman then called upon William West, Esq. 
to read his paper. 
Mr. West then read a paper 
ON THE PROPORTION OF SULPHUR IN COAL; 
In which, after observing that, though chemists are aware 
of its existence, in none of the published analyses of coal 
is its presence adverted to, he described a mode of ascer- 
taining the proportion, and pointed out some of the pre- 
cautions needful for correctness, and stated the results of 
his experiments upon coal and cokes of various descriptions 
from Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland. 
